Determined Cyclists Face Challenging Mountainous Terrain of Ethiopia
17 February 2010 (09:37)
Feb.16 (Gonder, Ethiopia) From their starting point alongside the great pyramids of Egypt, more than 60 brave souls have pushed themselves to the brink of exhaustion through Sudan on their way to the border with Ethiopia. Five weeks into their quest to cycle Africa from top to bottom, the sweltering heat and bicycle-breaking terrain of Sudan’s Dinder National Park reinforced the enormity of the task ahead of them. Now in country three of ten, riders are witnessing a transformation from the Arab Muslim world to the Horn of Africa, with its more traditional, tribal-influenced culture.

Tour d’Afrique is the world’s longest bicycle event, attracting a record number of entrants for 2010, including seven South Africans. Riders from 14 countries are testing their limits in this annual four-month, 12-thousand kilometre race and expedition from Cairo to Capetown.

The tour will spend three weeks pedalling through the spectacular mountain landscapes of Ethiopia, a country of unparalleled high altitude rides.

For many, this section has already begun to challenge their bodies more than ever before. “There have been times when riding here has caused me a lot of pain,“ says South African mountain biker Jethro De Decker, “riding 70 km/hr downhill and then having to crawl to only 7km/hr up hills has been rough, especially with a headwind.” In spite of the challenges, De Decker, who is placed in 10th position overall in the men’s race, came into his own on Stage 23 when he beat the hardcore road racers by 4 minutes. Jethro, who loves climbing the mountain around Cape Town, used the two climbs on the road out of Gonder to help achieve his win  "The roadies have less of an advantage on the climbs, they can't use their big gears." De Decker is quickly becoming one of the racers to beat after his strong performance in the off road section of Dinder National Park in Sudan. 

De Decker realizes that the physical challenges are minor compared to the mental athletics required for this mission. “I thought this trip would redefine my limits,” says De Decker, who hopes to win the current race section encompassing Khartoum, Sudan to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, known as ‘The Gorge’. “This trip has taught me that there are no limits. This challenge is much more in your head than you might expect. I think I’m stronger mentally than I am physically, and that’s all I need.”

From Ethiopia’s bustling city of Gonder, with its 17th century castles, riders will travel south through the awe-inspiring Blue Nile Gorge, a steep 1800-metre descent and ascent that will test the mettle of cyclists of any calibre. Having tackled the Gorge, riders pedal through the beautiful rolling hills of central Ethiopia, arriving in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, before travelling on to Kenya.

On their journey through ten African countries (Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa), the riders travel past ancient temples, through game reserves teeming with wildlife, across deserts and the foothills of legendary Mount Kilimanjaro, alongside the rugged and biblical landscape of Ethiopia’s Simian Mountains and through Botswana and Namibia’s most magnificent wilderness areas. The journey takes approximately 120 days of which 96 are cycling days, averaging 125 km each day. To follow the tour visit: #www.tourdafrique.com

Now in its eighth year, the original Tour d’Afrique holds the Guiness World Record for the fastest human powered crossing of Africa. Tour d’Afrique Ltd. is a Toronto, Canada based company named for its flagship cycling tour.

For more information, photos or to schedule an interview, please contact
Theresa Brown:
Tel: +27 44 389 0007 / Cell: +27 83 526 5145
Email: theresa@tourdafrique.com